Question 1

What does Matthew 5:35 mean?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 5:35 warns against making oaths by the earth or by Jerusalem, explaining that the earth belongs to God as His footstool and Jerusalem is the city of the great King. The verse teaches that people should not swear by things that are not theirs to control or promise by. In this verse, Jesus is speaking to a crowd during the Sermon on the Mount, addressing common practices of swearing oaths to guarantee honesty. He points out that even things people might use to make an oath—like the earth or Jerusalem—are not theirs to use, since they belong to God. This helps set up Jesus’ broader teaching about honesty and integrity in speech.

Question 2

The Greek behind Matthew 5:35

Accepted Answer

γῆ (gē, "earth"): This word refers to the land or the whole earth, emphasizing that all creation is under God's authority, not human ownership. ὑποπόδιον (hypopodion, "footstool"): This term means something to rest one’s feet on, highlighting how the earth is seen as subordinate to God, reinforcing His greatness and sovereignty. Ἱεροσόλυμα (Hierosolyma, "Jerusalem"): The specific mention of Jerusalem as "the city of the great King" points to its special status in Jewish thought as God’s chosen city, not just any city.

Question 3

Why Matthew 5:35 matters

Accepted Answer

Matthew 5:35 clarifies that swearing by created things does not give a person more credibility, because those things ultimately belong to God, not to the person making the oath. This verse helps explain Jesus’ larger point that honesty should not depend on swearing elaborate oaths, but on simple, truthful speech. By referencing Jerusalem and the earth, Jesus connects everyday practices to deeper truths about God’s authority and the sacredness of what people often take for granted.

Matthew 5:35 (KJV)